CE 6327: Aquatic Chemistry

Class Note-1: Introduction

Professor Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Department of Civil Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
(BUET)

April 2023 Semester

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
 Figure: Natural water environments of interest in aquatic chemistry

Atmospheric chemistry, water chemistry, sediment geochemistry,

soil chemistry, and groundwater chemistry of the elements are all
connected, on a range of time scales.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

 Modeling Natural Water Systems

• To deal with the complexity of natural water systems,

simplified and workable models are employed to illustrate
the principal regulatory factors that control the chemical
composition of natural waters.
• In general, these models link water composition with that of
atmosphere and sediment.
• “Chemical equilibrium” appears to be the most helpful model
concept to facilitate identification of key variables relevant in
determining water-mineral and water-atmosphere relations,
thereby establishing the chemical boundaries of aquatic
environments.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Modeling Natural Water Systems ……

• Discrepancies between predicted equilibrium composition

and the data for the actual system provide valuable insight
into those cases in which important chemical reactions have
not been identified, in which non-equilibrium conditions
prevail, or where analytical data for the system are not
significantly accurate or specific.
• Such discrepancies are incentive for research and
improvements of existing models.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Possible Applications of Principles of Aquatic Chemistry

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

 • Aquatic reactions of interest:
acid/base reactions; oxidation-
reduction reactions; complexation
reactions; etc.

• Soil-water interactions: Adsorption/desorption of chemical

species (e.g., As, Fe, Mn, PO43-) onto soil (e.g., metal oxides
and hydroxides); etc.

• Hydro-geology: affects transport of water/solute within

aquifer.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
 • Atmosphere-water interaction:
dissolution of carbon-dioxide in
water

• Aquatic reactions: acid-base reactions; precipitation-

dissolution reactions; etc.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Ocean-Atmosphere Interaction (contd.)
• From 1750 to 2011, estimated
total anthropogenic emission of
CO2 is 555 GtC (470 -640 GtC)

• Of this amount, 240 GtC has

accumulated in the atmosphere;
155 GtC has been taken up by
the Ocean, and 160 GtC has
been accumulated in natural
terrestrial ecosystem.
• Ocean acidification is quantified by decreases in pH. The pH of ocean
surface water has decreased by 0.1 since the beginning of the industrial
era (high confidence), corresponding to a 26% increase in hydrogen ion
concentration.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
 • Aquatic reactions of interest: e.g.,
acid-base reaction; oxidation-
reduction reactions; complexation
reactions; etc.

• Soil-water interactions: Adsorption/desorption of chemical

species (e.g., Cr, other metals, PO43-) onto soil (e.g., metal
oxides and hydroxides); etc.

• Hydro-geology: affects transport of water/solute within

aquifer.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
• Aquatic reactions of interest: Speciation of iron;
precipitation-dissolution of iron; complexation reactions;
kinetics of reactions.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
Aquatic Chemistry

Topics similar,
but different from
“analytical chemistry”

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali
Books:
1) Chemistry for Environmental Engineering,
Sawyer, McCarty, Parkin; Chapter 2 (Review of fundamentals of
chemistry)
2) Aquatic Chemistry, Werner Stumm and James J. Morgan (3rd Edition),
Reference Book.
3) Principles and Applications and Aquatic Chemistry, F. M. M. Morel and
Janet G. Hering.
4) Primarily follow Class Notes.

Dr. M. Ashraf Ali